"Survivor" Design thread - let's wrap this up

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I lie #1, good looking design.

I am in when they are up and ready I'll take 2

Kevin
 
I am still interested in the Lil' Brother project you brought up awhile back. With a sawback of course.;):thumbup:
 
Dan, I vote for #3. I like A2, but have no problem with 5160. I think either steel would perform just fine, so IMO go with what makes the most economical sense.

And I would probably buy one...!

Andy
 
Ok, I love #3 :thumbup:

I want to add my 2 cents. Make it a full 9.5 - 10 inch blade. To compare to all the other so called 10 inch bowies out there.

As for metal, although I do not make kives, I use and abuse them. I have broken 5160 knives much more so than A series knives. I think it has to do with the HT. I think that it is harder to get the HT right on 5160 just IMO.

My experience with 5160 is just the opposite of T1mpani. When 5160 has been ground to a cutting edge, it fails much easier than 3V or even 52100. I have broken good 5160 knives with hardly any trouble where my 52100 and A2 knives did not break. Of course this all depends on the maker as well.

My order of preference would be this:

A8, 3V, A2, S7, 52100 (pain to HT), W2, M4, L6, 5160
 
Bill Siegle uses 5160. Has anyone heard of one of those getting broken? He does a differential HT.
 
resinguy said:
Bill Siegle uses 5160. Has anyone heard of one of those getting broken? He does a differential HT.
Click to expand...

Himalayan Imports also uses 5160 and it does not break either, but it is very thick and very low Rc.
 
I've used a number of Bill's knives in 5160--actually have a very close size/design for comparison with the 3V. Don't know how to account for the different experiences with the materials, can only speak to my own. I do think that 5160's reputation, being it is such an available and inexpensive steel, may suffer somewhat from lots of beginners using it and performing pretty good but less than optimal heat treats on it. A point about the HI khukuries--even though they're very thick, they also have to absorb more impact due to the greater momentum generated by their mass. Also, the spines tend to be thick, but often taper to edges that are thinner than the majority of large heavy use knives, and the HRC ranges at the 'sweet spots' which take the hits/torque run in the high 50s...again speaking to 5160's ability to withstand impact. Everything can fail, of course, and there is no one right answer.
I think A2 would be interesting. I think a comparison between identical knives in A2 and 5160 would be even more interesting. ;)

I would lean more towards W1 than W2 for a big bruiser like this--again I've just found W2 to be on the brittle side (as far as carbon steels go--still kicks the *fill in expletive of your choice* out of the popular stainlesses in terms of toughness), but a problem with either of them is availability in large quantities. My absolute dream material for this blade would be S5 shock steel--older cousin to S7 but with a bit more carbon and less Cr. Sadly, that is also a material not nearly as available as it used to be, as S7 was an improvement (in jackhammer bits, not knives ;) ).
 
Dan,
I like #3. Would you consider a rubber-ish handle material like a horse mat?
 
Dan,
I will switch from #1 to #3 now. I do not actually need the pommel lanyard.
I like that blade profile on the both of them.
Cobalt mentioned a slightly longer blade. I like that idea also. Keeping this Big fella up there with others offered. !)" cutting edge would be cool. Just a thought.
 
It does remind me a lot of the Bowie style knife. That is a good thing. Would there be any benefit in having a more dramatic clip point - say for skinning. I have never used a big knife for skinning so I don't know myself.
 
I would definitely prefer number three. Steel preference is A2, or 52100 but I would probably buy one in whatever steel it came in. Nice design.
 
Number 2 or 3 looks great to me Dan. Look forward to seeing these as you progress with them.
 
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